Trudeau Rallies With Supporters During Campaign Tour in Peterborough

The Peterborough Naval Club was covered in red as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made a visit urging supporters to vote Liberal while showing support for federal candidate Maryam Monsef on Saturday.

Peterborough-Kawartha Liberal candidate Maryam Monsef being supported by Prime Minister Trudeau after both candidates made speeches before a supporting crowd. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

Both Monsef and Trudeau spoke before a crowd of roughly 100 supporters during an invite-only event. They were joined by fellow Liberal candidates, Judi Forbes (Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes Brock) and Alison Lester (Northumberland-Peterborough South).

Monsef introduced the Prime Minister roughly around 7:00 p.m. after a brief speech despite the event being scheduled for 5:45 p.m.

Topics such as race/gender-based violence, child care, gun control, the housing crisis, climate change and other topics were addressed in the rally.

“We asked all the women’s organizations and asked them what should we do and they all said the same thing, ‘race and gender-based violence were going to go up,’” said Monsef. “So make sure that the last door that women and children knock on is a door that is safe, that is welcoming and caring professionals will help piece back what is broken.”

In a roughly 25-minute speech, Trudeau began endorsing Monsef, praising her insight, work ethic and determination while working alongside her on the cabinet.

He stressed the hardships Canadians have gone through during the pandemic and have persevered including frontline workers. He mentions the subsidies and financial support the government gave citizens during the lockdowns.

Trudeau plans to “finish the pandemic for good” through vaccinations. He urged his supporters that if any friends or family they know are not vaccinated that there are “two doses waiting for them.”

“We now have among the highest rates of double vaccination in the world,” he said. “Close to 80 per cent of eligible Canadians have now done their part.”

The current Prime Minster criticized the Conservative party and leader Erin O’Toole for not demanding his candidates to get the shot and disclose their vaccination status. Trudeau also referenced Conservative candidate Michelle Ferreri for not being double-vaccinated despite campaigning at senior citizen homes.

Former Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair spoke before Monsef and is running for the election for Scarborough Southwest. He was elected to the same riding back in October of 2015.

He stressed the importance of gun control and outlawing any weapons that were “able to kill efficiently” citing his police experience as a reference.

Blair said O’Toole was pandering to gun lobbyists after showing inconsistency on the issue. He would respect the ban but changed his mind after pressure from the gun enthusiasts.

After Trudeau‘s speech, he had photos taken with supporters with brief conversations before exiting onto his campaign bus.

From start to finish of the event, protesters were yelling profanities and waving anti-Trudeau signs while garnering support from passing vehicles.

Polls for the election open on Monday.

Monsef is seeking a third term with Peterborough but is challenged by candidates Michelle Ferreri (Conservatives), Joy Lachica (NDP), Chanté White (Green Party), Paul Lawton (People’s Party) and Robert Bowers (Independent).

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Federal Candidate Interview: Liberal Candidate Maryam Monsef

Angela O’Grady speaks with Liberal federal candidate Maryam Monsef for the upcoming election. We answer community-submitted questions surrounding her stance on climate change, vaccine passports, the housing crisis and small businesses.

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High Frequency Rail Corridor is Coming Through Peterborough

Officials announced plans for a high-frequency rail corridor to lay tracks through Peterborough on Thursday morning.

Officials holding a sign from an old Peterborough train station. Back row: Peterborough Chamber of Commerce president Stu Harrison, Via Rail president Cynthia Garneau, Havelock-Belmont Methuen Township Mayor Jim Martin, Selwyn Township Mayor Andy Mitchell. Front row: Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra, Peterborough-Kawartha MP and minister for women and gender equality and rural economic development Mayam Monsef, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien. Photo By Angela O’Grady

The press conference was held at the Greater Peterborough Chamber of Commerce building which was formerly a Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) station.

Plans state that the new passenger rail stretching from Toronto to Quebec City will not share tracks with freight trains in hopes to cut travel times.

Maryam Monsef, Peterborough-Kawartha MP and minister for women and gender equality and rural economic development highlighted the positive impact this new infrastructure would have on the community.

The high-frequency rail corridor will unlock economic potential, offer new jobs and allow community members to travel elsewhere for work if needed according to Monsef.

“We’re getting this done because in a post-pandemic Canada, we are all aware of how vital our connections are,” she said.

Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra says he hopes that shovels will hit the ground in the next three to four years and the rail will be functioning by 2030.

He noted that the environmental impact this rail may have is being considered in the planning process and about 90 percent of the new service will run on electricity.

“Equally, maybe even more importantly, this project is about nation building, about connecting our communities,” explained Alghabra.

When asked about the location of a station, Peterborough Mayor Diane Therrien said an official decision has yet to be made.

“Right here seems like a great place though,” she said, standing outside the former CPR building.

Both Therrien and Monsef noted that First Nations communities are being consulted before construction begins.

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$1.9 million In Funding Going To Peterborough Police Service, Will Help Connect People At Risk Of Opioid-Related Overdoses To Community Services

MP Maryam Monsef has announced more than $1.9 million in funding over the next three years to the Peterborough Police Service. Through this funding, people who use drugs and have experienced an overdose will be connected to newly-created community-based outreach and support services.

As part of this pilot project, the Peterborough Police Service has created a collaborative community based mobile outreach team to increase the capacity and options available to first responders to refer people who have experienced an overdose. This new team will help divert people who use drugs away from the criminal justice system and into supportive to harm reduction, peer support, health and social services.

Photo of announcement over Zoom courtesy of Maryam Monsef’s team

In addition, this initiative will increase access to culturally appropriate services for Indigenous Peoples, LGBTQ2+ populations, youth, women, and those living with HIV through partnerships with other organizations such as Nogojiwanong Friendship Centre and PARN.

Photo of announcement over Zoom courtesy of Maryam Monsef’s team

“Too many were living in crisis before COVID, and mental health challenges, problematic substance use, and the added pressures of self isolation have increased the deaths and tragedies in our community,” says MP Monsef.

She adds: “Problematic substance use is a public health issue. Caring professionals in our community have asked for additional resources to help them with their important work. This investment will create over seven positions to allow coordination among essential frontline workers, so those who need the help are redirected from criminal justice system to harm reduction, peer support, health and social services. There is much more to be done. Today is a positive step forward.”

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MP Monsef Announces $7.6 million To Build 25 Rental Units For Peterborough Families

MP Maryam Monsef has announced that the federal government is financing $7.6 million to help construct 25 residential units located at 3789 Water Street in Peterborough.

The development includes a unique partnership with Kawartha Participation Projects (KPP), who will provide management of the building.

Patrick Cooper, CEO, Kawartha Participations Project, and Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha, on-site at 3789 Water Street in Peterborough where 25 residential units are being constructed.

KPP provides housing services and supports to people with physical disabilities living in Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton and Northumberland. Five units in the development have been earmarked for KPP clients and will be designed to meet the accessibility needs of tenants.

The development at 3789 Water Street by Greenleaf/Cor-Plan is receiving financing through the National Housing Strategy’s Rental Construction Financing initiative (RCFi), one of the many NHS programs being delivered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The RCFi supports the creation of new rental housing projects to encourage a stable supply of rental housing.

“The need for housing in our community was great before COVID, and it’s only increased since,” says MP Monsef. “We need innovative partners and solutions to address the housing needs in our community and projects like this one do just that. This partnership with KPP represents the Government of Canada’s continued commitment to investing in both accessible and affordable housing here in Peterborough-Kawartha.”

“Peterborough has a great need for all types of housing,” adds Peterborough Mayor Therrien. “Solving our housing challenges requires innovative solutions and cooperation from all levels of government, as well as private partners. The funding through CMHC will add 25 residential units to our housing stock and will increase density in the North end of our city.”

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Federal Government Contributes $25,000 To Support Construction Of New Sustainable Health Centre At Camp Kawartha

On Friday (January 17th), Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha, was at Camp Kawartha on Clear Lake near Peterborough to announce the Government of Canada’s $25,000 contribution through Farm Credit Canada’s AgriSpirit Fund towards the development of a new Health Centre for Camp Kawartha.

The Health Centre will feature a series of sustainable elements such as net-zero utility costs, zero toxins, zero carbon footprint, as well as zero fossil fuel use and zero waste output.

Left to right: J. Murray Jones, Peterborough County Warden and Mayor of Douro-Dummer Township; Maryam Monsef, Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha; and Jacob Rodenburg, Executive Director of Camp Kawartha, at Camp Kawartha

“Camp Kawartha is a leading environmental steward in our community,” says Monsef. “Our government recognizes the importance of sustainable development and supports Camp Kawartha’s innovative vision for their new Health Centre.”

The original Centre, built in the 1950s, has a sagging foundation and is in dire need of replacement. The Centre serves as a hub where the camp’s healthcare team looks after the health needs of campers during the summer. It also acts as extra sleeping quarters throughout the fall, winter and spring. The new Centre will be approximately 1,200 square feet in size and will cost about $325,000.

Camp Kawartha is a leader of environmental stewardship in our community. Our government recognizes the importance of sustainable development and is supporting @CampKawartha’s innovative vision for their new Health Centre with a contribution of $25,000. pic.twitter.com/DRBhNYVw2w

— Maryam Monsef (@MaryamMonsef) January 17, 2020

Maryam Monsef announces a $25,000 contribution from the Federal Government for a new Health Centre at Camp Kawartha

"Camp Kawartha is thrilled to receive support from Farm Credit Canada's AgriSpirit Fund for a new Health Centre,” says Jacob Rodenburg, Executive Director of Camp Kawartha.

“With this generous contribution we will be able to construct a zero-carbon building, which will allow our healthcare team to look after the well-being of both campers and staff. “

Maryam Monsef and Jacob Rodenburg with attendees at Camp Kawartha

NEW CENTRE IS EXAMPLE OF NEXT GENERATION OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

Showcasing the use of natural materials and incorporating natural elements such passive solar design, the Health Centre will:

-> Be an example to health professionals of how a Health Centre or Health Clinic can be sustainable and integrate nature into its design.

-> Serve as a teaching building for the thousands of guests, campers and participants in Camp Kawartha’s programming.

-> Help campers and students understand carbon-neutral design, carbon sequestration, alternative energy generation, natural building materials, product life-cycle and green waste management systems.

Construction is slated to begin in the fall of 2020 and be completed by June 2021.

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PTBOCanada Interview: MP Maryam Monsef On The Empowerment Of Women & Girls Locally (& Globally)

Read our interview with MP Maryam Monsef covering a range of issues associated with women and girls not only in her Peterborough-Kawartha riding but across Canada and globally...

PTBOCanada: On March 2nd, a Rural Women's Summit you created is taking place at Buckhorn Community Centre near Peterborough. Tell our readers about this initiative, and what this means to you...

MP Maryam Monsef: I am proud to represent a mixed urban and rural riding. It means we have unique assets and unique challenges. In this era of social and economic transition, it is more important than ever to protect our rural identity and recognize that these transitions can often harm the most vulnerable.

We also need to ensure equal opportunities for our women and girls who live in rural communities. This has been recognized by the United Nations, which is why this year’s theme for the 62nd gathering of the UNCSW is “Challenges and opportunities in achieving gender equality and the empowerment of rural women and girls.”

Since I’ll be leading the Canadian delegation to the UN again this year, it is critical that as the head of the delegation, I seek and hear the experiences of my own rural community in order to take those voices with me. That’s really what the Rural Women’s Summit is all about—to hear from women who are leaders and local role models.

MP Monsef at Electric City Hacks at Trent University, which highlighted the role of young women in STEM.

PTBOCanada: Tell us about the #MeToo movement and how it applies locally—what are you seeing and hearing? Are you hearing from a lot of your female constituents about this movement? Do you view this movement as a game-changer/tipping point for women's rights?

MP Monsef: In October, I hosted a feminist roundtable in Peterborough-Kawartha, and while the focus was on economic security, the reality that kept coming up was that gender-based violence is a persistent and systemic barrier for women. We heard it from the Peterborough YWCA, we heard it from Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, we heard it from our indigenous leaders. All this while online, a firestorm of conversation was taking place under the hashtag #MeToo, and it continues to inspire survivors to come forward today. No one is surprised now to see that there is no industry, profession or community that is untouched by sexual harassment and assault.

#MeToo has forced us, here at home in Peterborough-Kawartha, and around the world, to come face to face with the power imbalance that has, for generations, fed such behaviour, and made us normalize this gender-based violence. But it’s not normal, and it is time for a change.                  

We can only call it a tipping point, though, if we are going to change our behavior—if we are going to do things differently. It’s important to listen, it’s important to talk, but then there must be action. Our Government has already taken concrete steps to achieve a Canada where women and girls can live free from all forms of gender-based violence.

We have invested $100.9M in our Strategy to Prevent and Address Gender-based Violence. We launched a newly reformed and easier to access “call for concepts” with funding of $20M to support the organizations across Canada that are already doing the valuable work of providing support to GBV survivors and their families. And we introduced Bill C-65 to address harassment and sexual violence at work to ensure that all federal institutions are workplaces free from sexism and harassment.

Innovation Cluster Peterborough and the Kawarthas "Power Breakfast - Future Innovators!", with the entrepreneurs of Chimp Treats

PTBOCanada: We're in this great, defining age of female empowerment/"Girl Power". What does this mean to you, this moment in history?

MP Monsef: We are catching up to what feminist leaders have been shining a light on for decades. We need to express thanks to all those who have shared their stories and wisdom ahead of us. It’s time, we are finally here. There is an understanding that we all share a responsibility—individuals, businesses, institutions, governments—to help create safer spaces for women and girls to thrive.

I heard this in Davos, from economic and world leaders; we’ve heard this from advocates in our own community; we’ve heard it from our Prime Minister. Empowering women and girls isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.

PTBOCanada: Who are some of your female role models locally?

MP Monsef: There is no shortage of inspiring women for me in Peterborough-Kawartha.

-> Linda Slavin for her work on sustainability and political activism.

->  Rosemary Ganley for her grassroots and international community development.·     

-> Faith Dickinson, whose work to support veterans and cancer survivors has been celebrated internationally. 

-> Lynn Zimmer for her feminist mentorship and lifelong commitment to providing women with safe shelter.·     

-> Khadija Warsame for her strength and bravery in sharing her own refugee story to support other new Canadians.

-> Carmela Valles for her pioneering efforts in immigration settlement in Peterborough.·     

-> Chief Phyllis Williams, whose fierce and effective advocacy for her community is a great example of what women in politics can do.·  

-> Kyla Gutsche, a Cancer survivor who used her bravery to create a successful business that helps others.·    

-> And, Erica Cherney whose lasting legacy continues to shape our community. I could go on and on.

I should note that at the Rural Summit on March 2nd, we will also be announcing a new initiative that will honour women like these!

"Make a Difference Day" at Lansdowne Place Mall with Faith Dickinson from Cuddles for Cancer.

PTBOCanada: International Women's Day is March 8th—what is your plan to celebrate that day locally? 

MP Monsef: I am so excited to be celebrating this important day here in Peterborough-Kawartha this year. There is a lot planned for that day at places like the Women’s Business Network, Trent University, Kawartha Sexual Assault Centre, and Kawartha World Issues Centre. I will be participating in as much of what is going on here in Peterborough-Kawartha as I can, and I encourage everyone to get out there and experience IWD with me. I am so looking forward to being out in the community, among the organizations and individuals that inspire me in my work as MP and as Minister for Status of Women.

I will also be using the hashtag #MyFeminism throughout the day to share what the women’s movement, and those who embody it, means to me, and to our communities.

PTBOCanada: You will be attending the 62nd Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in March. What does it mean to you to be there again this year? What are the key topics you hope to see addressed, and how do they apply locally?

MP Monsef: As Canada is leading the G7 presidency this year, I am excited to connect with my G7 counterparts, in particular to talk about GBV, women in leadership, and economic opportunities for women and girls. I am also looking forward to sharing Canada’s work on reconciliation with our Indigenous peoples, as well as our leadership on gender-based budgeting.

UNCSW is an annual event, held at the United Nations, where thousands of leaders from around the world come together, across their diversity and differences, to unite around a common cause: improving the status of women and girls in our communities. Canada is a founding member of the UN and this year, as ever, the world looks to our leadership.

In 2013, I attended the 57th gathering through a bursary from the Peterborough YWCA. That experience was a politicizing moment in my life, and now, to lead the Canadian delegation again this year, as the Minister for Status of Women is an honour, and to take Peterborough’s perspective to this gathering is a privilege.

PTBOCanada: So you have your passport to get to New York? The necessary updates have taken place?

MP Monsef: Since becoming a Canadian citizen nearly 20 years ago, I have carried a Canadian passport. When I learned, 18 months ago, that my place of birth needed to be updated, I followed established IRCC processes to correct my documentation, just like any other Canadian in a similar situation would do. This process takes time. My application to correct my place of birth on my documents was reviewed and approved by IRCC, and my Canadian passport has been updated.

My story and experiences as a refugee connect me to many other new Canadians who have come to this country to escape war and oppression. In my case, my parents were Afghan refugees when they were within Iran’s borders, and we were Afghan refugees when we arrived in Canada. 

Regardless of birthplace, my status as an Afghan refugee upon arrival in Canada is unchanged. Based on the laws of both Afghanistan and Iran, thousands of Afghan refugees born on Iranian soil, just like me, cannot become Iranian citizens. As a result, I am a Canadian citizen and I also hold citizenship for Afghanistan. I am proud of my Afghan roots, I am proud to be a Canadian, and I am so grateful to call Peterborough-Kawartha my home.

My family and I were welcomed by the people of Peterborough with open arms, and this sense of inclusion and support is something that is at the core of who I am. It is a privilege to be able to dedicate myself to improving my home community of Peterborough-Kawartha, and indeed, my country. 

At the Grand Opening of the Student Centre at Trent University in 2017 with past and present Student Presidents.

PTBOCanada: Word is the upcoming Federal Budget will be the strongest yet in terms of being allocated strategically to empowering women. How hopeful are you are that this will be huge step in the right direction for women in Canada. How will this impact be felt locally?

MP Monsef: As you know, Budget 2018 will be released on Tuesday, February 27th. I’m very proud that our government understands that advancing women’s equality in Canada will drive economic growth, while boosting the income of Canadian families. More women in leadership positions won’t just grow the economy, create jobs, and strengthen communities, it will also lead to innovation and change in the workplace that benefits everyone.

We are already seeing the impact of this work—from appointing the first gender-balanced Cabinet, to creating and strengthening the Canada Child Benefit, to making major investments in combatting gender-based violence, to ensuring that gender and other intersecting identities are considered in the formation of government policy and the way we spend Canadians’ tax dollars.

These measure are being felt locally, and I know that Budget 2018 will continue to create an economy that works for the middle class, and gives the people of Peterborough-Kawartha—and all Canadians—the opportunity to succeed.

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Maryam Monsef On Her Inspiring Chat With Angelina Jolie At TIFF

Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef and her mother Soriya Basir had an inspiring meet with actor/activist Angelina Jolie on Sunday (September 10th) at the TIFF screening of The Breadwinner, an animated film Jolie executive produced about an 11-year-old girl in Afghanistan living under Taliban rule.

MP Maryam Monsef and Angelina Jolie at TIFF screening of Jolie's The Breadwinner

The film, about a headstrong young girl who disguises herself as a boy in order to provide for her family, is based on the bestselling book by Canadian writer Deborah Ellis.

Monsef says the book and movie speaks to her for many reasons: "It's the story of an 11-year-old Parvana's journey of survival in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and her attempt to help her family as the breadwinner. Breadwinner tells the story of Afghanistan through the eyes of a child. For years, Ellis has shined light on the struggles and resiliency of Afghan people and the strength of women and girls of Afghanistan. With the animation of The Breadwinner, we are all reminded once again to never underestimate the power of a girl."

Monsef tells PTBOCanada that she and her mom had a memorable few minutes with Jolie: "She is proud of Canada's role in the world as we progress gender equality and promote diversity. She also said that of all the places she goes to, she is happiest when she is surrounded by the women of Afghanistan. She doesn't know what it is about them, she just feels connected to them."

Monsef's mother even received this hug from Angelina...

Photo courtesy Maryam Monsef

Monsef, who says Angelina is beautiful inside and out, adds that she told the actress this at the meeting: "I thanked her for helping to tell the story of Afghan people, and she said she would continue to do so."

Monsef also "fan-girled huge" when she met the Breadwinner author Ellis (pictured 2nd from left below)...

Monsef came away very moved by her experience at the TIFF screening:

"Teachers in Peterborough often call me and Mom to come in and talk to their students after they read The Breadwinner," Monsef tells PTBOCanada. "The kids always had many questions and such compassion. Seeing all the kids in the audience yesterday and talking to Angelina and others involved made me appreciate the deliberate efforts to focus content like this on children as the audience. They will grow up to fix this broken world and it's never too early to teach compassion."

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Here Is The Full Statement From Maryam Monsef Regarding Globe & Mail Article

On Thursday (September 22nd), the Globe and Mail published this front page story on Maryam Monsef called "Heralded as Canada's first Afghan-born MP, Maryam Monsef shocked to discover truth of roots". Below is her full statement regarding the article...

Photograph of Maryam with her family. The photograph was taken at her swearing-in ceremony as the Member of Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha, which occurred at the House of Commons on November 24, 2016. Clockwise starting on the left: the family are Mehrangiz Monsef, Mina Monsef, Mehdi Taheri (Mina’s husband), Soriya Basir-Monsef, Maryam Monsef, Leila Taheri (Mina & Mehdi’s daughter).

“Today, The Globe and Mail published an article outlining that I was in fact born in Mashhad, Iran and not in Herat, Afghanistan – as I was led to believe for my whole life.
 
Because I know my story has resonated with many Canadians, I wanted to take the time today to clear any misconceptions this may have unintentionally caused.
 
In recent days, my mother told me for the first time that my sisters and I were in fact born in Mashhad, Iran, approximately 200 kilometers from the Afghan border.
 
Following my parents’ wedding in Herat, the local security situation became untenable. The town was severely damaged by war and thousands were killed.  No longer safe in their home town, my parents decided not to take risks and went to Mashhad, Iran, where they could be safe – with the hope of soon returning to the place their families called home for generations. While we were technically safe in Iran, we did not hold any status there and like the thousands of other Afghan refugees, we were not afforded all of the same rights and privileges given to Iranian citizens. After my father’s death, we travelled back and forth between Afghanistan and Iran when the security situation permitted it.
 
My sisters and I asked my mother why she never told us we were born in Iran. She told us she did not think it mattered. We were Afghan citizens, as we were born to Afghan parents, and under Iranian law, we would not be considered Iranian citizens despite being born in that country.
 
Some survivors believe healing comes from telling their story; others cannot fathom revisiting the past. My mother never talked about the unspeakable pain that conflict and terror inflicted on her. This week my sisters and I asked her to re-live that pain.
 
Conflict has robbed me of a father and it has scarred my family and I for life. We thankfully found a welcoming home in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, where we began the challenging and difficult process of resettlement.
 
Coming to Canada as a refugee - twenty years strong - and now a member of Cabinet in the 42nd Parliament – I feel a tremendous deal of responsibility in upholding all that this great country has allowed me to become. This includes accountability to the public and transparency.
 
Canada has played an important role in allowing me to become who I am today. It’s the only place I’ve ever truly felt I belonged, and I couldn’t be more proud to be Canadian.”

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Maryam Monsef Is Doing National Tour On Electoral Reform

This Sunday (August 28th) in Iqaluit, the Minister of Democratic Institutions, the Honourable Maryam Monsef, will kick off a national tour on electoral reform that will take her from coast to coast to coast. During this tour, Monsef will engage Canadians on electoral reform and how we can all work together to make Canadian democracy even stronger.

Monsef will travel to every province and territory across Canada, and is undertaking these gatherings to reach out and hear first-hand from Canadians from across the country about what they expect from the electoral process and the core values it should reflect.

Local Town Hall on Climate Change in June 2015 Minister Monsef hosted

Participants at events across Canada will have the opportunity to openly share the values, needs and aspirations they feel should be reflected in Canada’s electoral system.
 
“I am truly grateful for the tremendous opportunity to go and meet with Canadians from coast-to-coast and, most importantly, listen to their views on democracy," says Monsef. "I am especially looking forward to hearing from Canadians who have not voted in the past, because our electoral system should work for each and every one of us."  

For more info, click here.     

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